Chapter 34: Foundations of the Fortress

Ethan Carter sat in his office, a quiet storm brewing behind his calm exterior. The mole had been identified, the damage assessed, and the cleanup initiated. But the shadow network's attack wasn't just a breach—it was a declaration. They had infiltrated his walls, tested his defenses, and left a calling card in the form of the cryptic message. Ethan wasn't about to let this stand.

Sophia entered, her expression tense but resolute. She dropped a fresh report on his desk. "We've started securing the systems Larson compromised. Our IT team has set up redundancies and additional firewalls. They've traced some of the communication relays back to South America and Eastern Europe, but the trail goes cold. Whoever these people are, they're professionals."

Ethan's eyes remained fixed on the window, his voice measured. "Professionals make mistakes. Patterns emerge. We'll find them."